


Teenagers

by OTPsaisa



Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Blink and you'll miss it, Language, M/M, No established relationship, mild pining, post Kyoto Arc, the mildest mention of sexual content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:43:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27124019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OTPsaisa/pseuds/OTPsaisa
Summary: Saitou loathed teenagers. Especially those with wide smiles and unabashed laughter. Even moreso, he found himself frustrated when one would end up in police custody, brought in on charges of fighting and drunken debauchery.Andthis onein particular he found most annoying.-Companion piece to Eyes Closed
Relationships: Sagara Sanosuke/Saitou Hajime(implied)
Kudos: 6





	Teenagers

**Author's Note:**

> The title will probably change when I can think of a better one but until then, this will do.

It had started in Kyoto, after escaping the ruins of Shishio's fortress. It worsened as his wounds healed and he returned to work. This sense of loss... the noticeable absence of _something_. 

Saitou loathed teenagers. Especially those with wide smiles and unabashed laughter. Even moreso, he found himself frustrated when one would end up in police custody, brought in on charges of fighting and drunken debauchery. 

And _this one_ in particular he found most annoying. 

It was a day like any other, boring as he waited for his informant's next debriefing. The current leads had gone cold on the Rengoku's origin and Saitou found himself making rounds through the station just to waste some time. Kyoto was too peaceful and, as grateful as the common folk were, he hated it. At least the cell block usually proved to be a little more entertaining than the lobby or the offices and apparently today would be no different. 

His feet had led him to a cell at the far end of the hall, passing sleeping drunks and toothless thieves until the youngest inhabitant piqued his curiosity.

"The fuck you staring at, grandpa?" That voice wasn't deep enough. 

_'Shit, this kid is ruder than me!'_ He could just imagine the words and accompanying snort of laughter. That idiot would have probably ended up his cell mate if he'd stayed in Kyoto long enough. 

"An ahou who can't hold his liquor or throw a decent punch from what I understand." His mouth went dry as he spoke. It felt wrong using that word, as though it were sacred and meant solely for someone else. That was new.

"Let me out of here and I'll show you what kind of punches I can throw, you prick." He stood up with the awkward movements of a child not yet used to their changing body; gangly limbs lacking the definition of hard acquired muscle. 

Saitou laughed at him. It wasn't long or very loud, but it was enough to bring a vein to the surface of the kid's temple as he flustered. Fists clenched as the prisoner glared and spat "fuck you" at him. He couldn't have intimidated Saitou if he tried–and Saitou was sure he was trying. 

"You need to clean up that foul mouth and yourself once you're released." It was true. Saitou examined the kid with blatant disgust as he took in the dirt on his skin and–once white?–pants. He was brought in with no shirt, reeking of old sake, vomit, and sweat.

"You need to mind your own fucking business unless you're here to let me the fuck out." That smart mouth had nothing but venom for him. 

"Not a chance," Saitou shrugged and left it at that. The kid's glare not quite softening, but changing as though in thought before he spoke again.

"Look, man, I'll blow you if you let me out of here." The kid whispered as he drew closer to the cell door, hands grabbing at the bars. They were smooth, unbroken fingers tanned golden and free of scars. He hated them. 

_'The ahou would never.'_ Saitou raised a brow only slightly, "are you even old enough to be talking like that?"

"I'm nineteen, asshole! Seriously, anything you want! I just can't stay here!" His pleas almost falling on deaf ears until Saitou started to consider, _'anything?'_

The kid was the right age and nearly tall enough. Shoulders not as broad but his hair just as brown, it wouldn't matter the style once a hand was wrapped up in it, pulling on it. From behind, that kid could look like... he could pretend...

Saitou was known for occasionally shirking police procedure in favor of his own methods, but even that was pushing it a little too far.

Besides, it wouldn't do him any good. Saitou could fake his identify, lie and manipulate to get the answers that he needed, but this kind of pretending was never his strong suit. _'It wouldn't be the same.'_

"Fuck. You. Bug face!" The kid's temper overtaking him again at Saitou's silence. Fists hitting wood that refused to give. "Ugly piece of shit bastard!"

He let the kid throw his tantrum, knowing there was no chance he'd be punching through the cell door. Saitou smirked as the thought passed, which just managed to further piss the kid off.

He retrieved a silver case from his pocket, extracting from it a slim cigarette and a match with which to light it, watching the display with barely concealed amusement. 

He had come to realize it wasn't the teenagers themselves he was most irritated by, no, that wasn't it at all. His annoyance was brought on by the fact that they weren't _that_ teenager.

Saitou lit the cigarette and inhaled, masking the scent of sake-soured sweat coming from the kid. He shook his head as the kid cursed him and let his eyelids fall closed for a moment. Behind them, all he saw was cocoa brown, warm enough to melt him.


End file.
